Search This Blog

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Iwami Baikyoku V. Iwami

Iemoto Tsuna Iwami Baikyoku V. Iwami was one of the last students of Araki Kodo III and Araki Kodo IV. He is the only shakuhachi player alive today who is a direct descendant of Araki Kodo IV. He has been isolated in Brazil since 1956 and uninfluenced by other shakuhachi artists' schools of thought and modern shakuhachi trends in Japan.. He refers to himself as a “living fossil” of the pure Kinko-ryu shakuhachi tradition. Iwami’s old style of playing is especially evident in his interpretations of honkyoku, especially in his favorite composition, "Shika no Tone”, a duet he plays with student Julio Kobayashi in this audio link.

Iwami: Shika no Tone In 1982 Ralph Samuelson agreed on hearing this recording that Iwami’s style represents a tradition of playing no longer heard in Japan today.